Victim of Weedon house fire being looked after following concerns from village residents

Tim Redigolo

The elderly man whose Weedon home was destroyed by a house fire yesterday is being cared for after being located by police.

Daventry neighbourhood sergeant Sam Dobbs said the man had been found in tears and that contrary to reports given to police saying he was staying with a friend, he had been sleeping rough.

The man is known locally as 'Popeye' and had lived in the house for 70 years.

"We're with him at the moment. We're getting him fed and he's going to have his hair and beard cut," said Daventry neighbourhood sergeant Sam Dobbs.

"We've had lots of conflicting reports as to his welfare and whether he's sleeping rough or where he is, but the good news is we've caught up with him now and we're helping him.

"He's being fed at a local cafe, I think someone is tidying him up a little bit and then we're going to take him to the doctor's to get him medically checked over.

"We're working with Daventry District Council and social services to see what can be done in terms of safeguarding and keeping him safe."

Granny's Cafe in Church Street, Weedon, have said they are collecting clothes and any other items for donation, while Wheatsheaf landlady Hayley-Doune Pender says the pub is also welcoming donations.

Mrs Pender has set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for those affected by the fire and said that in spite of the awful circumstances the community's reaction to the blaze had been fantastic.

"We've got the crowdfunding page which people can donate to financially - big or small, every little bit helps - and we've also said to people anything they want to donate in terms of belongings or furniture or anything really because they've got to start again," said Mrs Pender.

"Locally everybody just seems to have pulled together in the community to give them a start back in life.

"It's a fantastic thing for a community to be able to do that, rally round and support people in a time of need."